Container fitment

ABSTRACT

A fitment is disclosed intended in particular for a foodstuff container of the type having a mouth sealed by means of a foil adhered to the upper rim of the container. The fitment includes an annular portion for engaging the upper rim of the container so as to retain the fitment on the container and a utensil molded integrally with the annular portion to project outwards from the annular portion. The utensil is connect4ed to the annular portion by means of a hinge so as to permit the utensil to be pivoted into a position in which it lies against one side of the container.

The present invention relates to a fitment for a container and is particularly suitable for a foodstuff container having a mouth sealed by means of a foil adhered to the upper rim of the container.

Such containers are commonly used for foodstuffs that are consumed in their entirety as soon as the containers are opened so that there is no need for the containers to be resealed. Examples of such foodstuffs are yoghurt, desserts and quick snacks such as soups and noodles.

Because the contents of the container are to be consumed once the container is opened, it is convenient to provide a disposable utensil, such as a fork or a spoon. To this end, it has already been proposed to provide a lid or cover having a weakened portion that allows a utensil moulded as an integral part of the lid to be pressed out. However, as the containers are usually deeper than they are wide, the utensil cannot be formed in one piece. If it is to be able to reach into the bottom of the container, it needs to be moulded in two separate pieces that must somehow be clipped to one another. For this reason, such a solution is not entirely satisfactory.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fitment for a foodstuff container which includes an annular portion for engaging the upper rim surrounding the mouth of the container so as to retain the fitment on the container and a utensil moulded integrally with the annular portion to project outwards from the annular portion, the utensil being connected to the annular portion by means of a hinge so as to permit the utensil to be pivoted to lie against one side of the container.

In order for it to be feasible to mould the utensil with the annular portion in a two part mould, the utensil and the annular portion need to be moulded so that they initially lie in generally the same plane, this being the s split plane of the two mould parts. The hinge between the utensil and the annular portion then enables the utensil to be bent out of the horizontal plane of the mouth of the container into a generally vertical position in which it can lie against one side of the container and not interfere with stacking of the containers.

It is preferred for the hinge to include a toggle mechanism such that the utensil is biased towards stable horizontal and vertical positions. Such a toggle mechanism may comprise an L-shaped resilient member that is hinged to the annular portion and to the utensil. If the points of attachment of the resilient member are correctly selected, then the utensil passes through an over-centre intermediate position as it pivots between its end positions.

The annular portion may if desired form part of a cover that overlies the entire mouth of the container. However, it is preferred to form it only as a ring that fits over the upper rim of the container.

It is also preferred to form the annular portion in such a manner that it cannot be removed from the container while it remains intact. In this way, the annular portion can provide visible evidence in the event of tampering.

It is desirable to provide a weakened region surrounding the hinge that connects the utensil to the annular portion. Such weakening will facilitate separation of the utensil and also break at least part of the annular portion to permit it to be removed from the container.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a section through a container on which a fitment of the invention may be mounted,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fitment in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2 showing a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a similar view of a third embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a detail of an alternative embodiment of the invention drawn to an enlarged scale showing a hinge that incorporates a toggle action.

FIG. 1 shows a typical snack food container 10. The container comprises a conically tapering cup 12 having a rim 14 surrounding its mouth The mouth is covered by means of a plastics or metal foil 16 that is sealed to the rim. The cup 12 contains a snack, which may for example be yoghurt, soup or noodles, and for the convenience of the purchaser the invention provides a fitment that securely attaches to the container a suitable utensil, such as a fork or a spoon, to allow the snack to the consumed.

The fitment 20 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a lid to cover the entire mouth of the container 10. The lid has a lip 22 that engages under the rim 14 of the container to prevent it from being removed easily. Indeed, it is preferred that it should be necessary to damage the lid 20 before it can be removed from the container. The reason for this is that the lid will then indicate any tampering with the contents of the container. Only by breaking the fitment and removing it would it be possible to peal back the foil 16 and tamper with the contents of the container 10.

In FIG. 2, a spoon 24 is connected by a hinge 26 to the edge of the annular portion 28 of the lid 20 that engages the rim 14 of the container 10. To enable it to be moulded in one piece with the lid 20, the spoon 24 is s moulded an the position shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 The hinge 26 however allows the spoon to be pivoted into the vertical position shown in dotted lines 24′ in which it lies against the side of the container 10.

The fitment 120 shown in FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 2 in that the utensil 124 is designed as a fork. Furthermore, the annular portion 128 only overlies the rim 14 of the container and is not part of a lid that covers the entire mouth of the container. The foil 16 therefore remains visible through the centre of the annular portion 128. Once again, a hinge 126 connects the utensil 124 to the annular portion 128 to allow the utensil 124 to be bent into a position 124′ against the side of the container 10.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 3 but the annular portion 228 in this case is moulded integrally with a handle 230 which can be used to carry the container. In this case, the fitment need not be removed from the container when it is opened and the lid 16 may instead be punctured while the fitment continues to support the container 10. Alternatively, the fitment may be pulled off the container and replaced after the foil cover has been removed.

The mechanism of the hinge of any of the previously described embodiments is preferably constructed in the manner shown to an enlarged scale in FIG. 5. The end of the utensil 24 is bifurcated to define two prongs 24 a and 24 b. The two prongs are pivoted at the hinge 26 to the edge of the annular portion 28. A resilient L-shaped member 32 is connected by a hinge 36 to an attachment point on the annular portion 28 that is higher than the axis of the hinge 26 while its other end is hinged to the end of the utensil 24 at 38 in between the two prongs 24 a and 24 b.

The utensil 24 is shown partially in each of its end positions in FIG. 5 With the utensil raised, as shown to the right in FIG. 5, the line joining the attachment points 36, 38 of the resilient member 32 lies above the hinge line 26. In the lowered position shown to the left in FIG. 5, the same line joining the attachment points of the resilient member 32 lies below the hinge line 26. Thus as it is lowered, the member 32 is elongated until its length is sufficient to allow it to reach an unstable over-centre position in which the hinges 26, 36 and 38 all lie in the same plane. After passing through this over-centre position the member 32 once again contracts. Thus a toggle action is created with the resilience of the member 32 acting to bias the utensil towards its two end positions. Thus when fitted to a container and the lowered, the utensil will click down and be urged by the toggle action into a position tight against the side of the container.

It will also be seen in FIG. 5 that a weakened line 34 is formed around the hinge. This allows the utensil to be separated readily from the annular portion 28. Furthermore, after the utensil has been detached, the annular portion ceases to be continuous and can therefore be removed readily from over the mouth of the container. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, it would be possible to arrange for part of the lip 22 to be broken away while leaving the ring portion intact. The removal of part of the lip would in this case provide an indication of tampering but, as the annular portion remains circumferentially continuous, it can be separated from the container and replaced after the foil has been removed to allow access to the contents. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A fitment for a foodstuff container having a mouth surrounded by a rim, the fitment including an annular portion for engaging the rim surrounding the mouth of the container so as to retain the fitment on the container and a utensil moulded integrally with the annular portion to project outwards from the annular portion, wherein the utensil is connected to the annular portion by means of a hinge so as to permit the utensil to be pivoted to lie against one side of the container, and the hinge includes a toggle mechanism such that the utensil is biased away from an over-centre position.
 11. A fitment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the toggle mechanism comprises an L-shaped resilient member that is hinged to the annular portion and to the utensil at points of attachment that are spaced from the hinge between the utensil and the annular portion.
 12. A fitment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the annular portion forms part of a cover that overlies the entire mouth of the container.
 13. A fitment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the annular portion is constituted by a ring that fits only over the rim of the container.
 14. A fitment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the annular portion is formed with a lip that engages under the rim of the container in such a manner that the annular portion cannot be removed from the container while the lip remains intact.
 15. A fitment a claimed in claim 10, wherein the annular portion is formed with a handle.
 16. A fitment as claimed in claim 10, wherein a weakened region is provided in the annular portion surrounding the hinge that connects the utensil to the annular portion.
 17. A fitment as claimed in claim 16, in which the weakened region is shaped to permit part of the lip to be broken away while the remainder of the annular portion remains circumferentially continuous. 